24 FEB 2022 · Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem It was told that Sayyidina Hasan Al-Basriر once, was distraught when he missed three months of night vigil. Knowing that awakening for Tahajjud is indeed a Divine Invitation to be in conversation with Allah Almighty, he was in intense self-introspection, trying to find the fault in himself that has prevented him from being with his Lord in the intimate of the night. Such sincerity led him to discover he had erred just once, feeling in his heart, a superiority to a student he tutors. Having just for a brief moment, an attribute of shaitan, caused this great Saint to be denied Tahajjud for months. For this, it is enough for a sincere seeker to realise the posture of our open enemy. Shaitan Alayhi Laqnat has been an enemy to our grandfather Sayyidina Adam Alayhi Salam and will continue as such, until the end of time, to us and all our progeny. Mawlana Shaykh Nazimق said satanic tricks and traps are endless. Towards piety or disobedience, he sets traps for the children of Adam Alayhi Salam. Since the arrival of Sayyidina Adam on earth, he was greeted with hostility as shaitan had incited the animals to detest him and ‘advised’ them to tear him to pieces. With the help of Sayyidina Jibrail Alayhi Salam, the first creature to become a companion and guardian to Adam Alayhi Salam was the dog. A wild creature, but once domesticated, became useful and of service to its master. Acquiring the attributes of a dog is one of virtue in Tariqah. Once the great saint and 6th Grandshyakh of the Naqshbandi Way, Mawlana Abu Yazid Al-Bistamiق was walking through a street when a dog appeared and approached him slowly. Being cautious, not wanting his clothes to be in contact with the dog, Abu Yazidق pulled up his clothes. Unexpectedly, the dog spoke to Abu Yazidق with a human-like voice, “I am created filthy and my filth can be cleansed by the way ordained by Allah, but the prejudiced attitude inside you will not be washed away even if you use all the water obtained from seven rivers. The internal or spiritual sins are difficult to clean.” Hearing the wise word of the dog, Mawlana Abu Yazidق invited the dog to his company, to which the dog denied, for its filthiness. Mawlana Abu Yazidق whispered to himself, ”If even a dog refuses to accompany me, am I eligible to be close to God and attend His functions? All Praises for God who has shown all the flaws in me and guiding human beings through the minor things.” Mawlanaق has taught us to leave all satanic traits starting with self-aggrandisement, and look to the humble dog in admiration, for its attributes are that of true believers, the Friends of Allah. A domesticated dog is an obedient and loyal servant to its master. A light sleeper, always on high alert to perform its duty, eating little from food scraps, unshaken in its loyalty, even if the master inflicts upon it, pain. The dog is in complete contentment with its master. For this, sincere mureeds under the care of a Spiritual Master (waliyan murshida) must be in Shukur, for unlike a stray dog, the dog blessed with a master has duties to perform and is guided towards the road of servanthood. May we inherit the attributes of dogs, to be in obedience and loyalty to our Master, until we reach servanthood to Allahﷻ.

17 FEB 2022 · Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem Our Holy Prophetﷺ said at the period heﷺ was going through the throes of death, “Oh Allah, Help me with the agonies of death!” Sunan al-Tirmidhī 978 Sayyidina Jibril Alayhi Salam was present at the dying moments of the Most Beloved of Allahﷺ and said that he could not bare to see the Most Honoured of Creationﷺ, go through the pangs of death. Even Rasulullahﷺ had to go through it, a pain unlike anything a person has ever experienced and one every soul will taste, at its appointed time. The journey onwards, the hereafter, is one that is long and arduous. It is a heavy road ahead. Hence, believers and especially those fortunate to be guided in Tariqah, know that this life is a means of preparation for the onward journey. The deeds accumulated here on earth will be either a means of salvation or punishment for a person in the grave. How then does one prepare for life in the grave and the promised Day of Resurrection? In the turmoils of Yaumul Mashar, with all of mankind, jinn, animals and shaitan gathered for Divine Judgement, every soul will desperately look for a means to safety. At that moment, the believers without a Guide in the dunya will be wishing they had followed a righteous one, to receive the Intercession of the Holy Prophetﷺ as on that day, only heﷺ will be interceding for the Mercy of Allahﷻ, for all. The only way to be recognised as one deserving of intercession is to be under the Flags of Safety that will be carried by prophetic inheritors, the Saintly Guides who were sent on earth for the people of their times. A true Guide will recognise his faithful followers and like a shepherd, will never leave his sheep in danger. In the darkness of this Second Age of Ignorance, the rampant deviant teachings of Wahhabism and Salafism are causing confusion to many believers who take religion off the internet. Unknowing to many of the background and history to their teachings, they appear to look like righteous representatives of Islam, speaking eloquently in Arabic and seeming very knowledgable in Islamic Sciences, when in reality, these are wolves in shepherd’s clothing. Their disguise is satanic and with one purpose, to confuse believers and lead them to eternal destruction. This confusion will cause many Muslims to leave the true teachings of Rasulullahﷺ, as the Saints and righteous scholars used to practice and teach their students. It is evident today with the rise of so called ‘extremist muslims’ who are misguided to leave all practises that build love and reverence for the Prophetﷺ, Sahabah and Awliya Allah. The practises of the Three Holy Months of Rejab, Sha’aban and Ramadan is one such example of their rejection of authentic Islamic tradition. Their pretentious teachings of Islam are ruining people, depriving them from the Divine Secrets of the Holy Months where the Gate of Repentance and Mercy are fully open and a means for drawing close to Allahﷻ. For this, mureeds in this Way must be in Shukur, thanking Allahﷻ for the Guidance of a true shepherd who will, in the disarray of the journey through the afterlife, lead one to Safety. This is the promise of Bay’ah. Hence, obedience to the orders of Mawlanaق is essential to our eternal salvation. May we be in the Safety of a true Guide, to be with Allahﷻ, together with all our children and their progeny through every stage of the difficult journey of this life and afterlife ahead.

10 FEB 2022 · بسمالله الرحمن الرحيم Our Holy Prophetﷺ said, “There are people whose skin is the same colour as ours, who speak the same language as we speak,. . . they mix correct matters which you know with bad matters which you denounce [they mix the correct statements with the deviated ones]. They stand by the gates of Hellfire inviting others to enter. If one listens to them, they push him in. It is of utmost importance for the Muslim to look thoroughly at the person from whom he acquires knowledge.” Sahih Bukhari and Muslim In this dark times of the Second Age of Ignorance, deviant teachings are rampant, easily accessible through social media and often mistaken as Truth. In a world today where ‘appearance is not reality’, for the majority, it becomes confusing to distinguish between truth from falsehood. Confusion is the goal of the enemies of Truth. Hence, it is of supreme importance that those seeking the path of Truth, sincerely look for a true Guide, an inheritor of the Prophetﷺ, with a clear link of preceding teachers (sanad) that connects back to Rasulullahﷺ. There have been perfect examples of sincere ones, who in the end, become successful in reaching to Haq (Truth) and becoming Rabbani (only for Allahﷻ). One such example is the late Shaykh Abdus Salam As-Shamsiق. A mureed to three Grandshaykhs in the Naqshbandi Golden Chain, he lived a difficult, yet full, life of servanthood at the feet of his Murshids. With a steadfast heart, in full submission and obedience to his Guide, he attained a high station in the Divine Presence. He never claimed to be someone of importance and was known to humbly say, ‘I don’t know’, when asked pertaining to some matters. He was quiet and always looking to his own state, in obedience to his Guide, in full trust of the Firm Handhold of his Master and in awareness of his Lord Almighty. To leave slavery to the ego and attain servanthood to Allahﷻ is a route not many can achieve but the one whose heart is sincerely drawn towards his Lord, will want to seek Saintly Ones who have attained Servanthood, and sit at their feet, as obedient students. In a Hadith Qudsi Allahﷻ Says, “Oh My servant, why am I the least of your concerns?” Most of mankind are busy living lives as though there will be no accountability, careless of their deeds and ignorant of the Presence of Allahﷻ. Therefore, Mawlanaق is reminding his mureeds, in this holy Month of Seclusion and Forgiveness, to pay special attention to do their utmost to draw close to Allahﷻ, with good deeds and repentance, seeking to be granted Forgiveness. Rejab Shahrullah is a month ‘deaf to bad deeds’, where Allahﷻ Looks day and night to Forgive those whole-heartedly searching for the Divine Gift of Forgiveness, to be cleansed from the filth of sin. Purification is attained only through cleansing and so in the month of holy Rejab, Allahﷻ Opens Hisﷻ Doors of Mercy and Forgiveness, for mankind to enter as sinners and receive Hisﷻ Pardon. “O son of Adam, if your sins were so numerous that they reached the heavens and then you sought My forgiveness I would forgive you and it is nothing to Me.” Hadith Qudsi May we be in seclusion with Allahﷻ, counting our every sin in shame and begging to be Pardoned and to be raised as the people of Tawbah, purified and worthy of Hisﷻ Presence.

3 FEB 2022 · Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem Our Holy Prophetﷺ said, Allah Almighty Says in a Hadeeth Qudsi, “Rejab is My month. Sha’ban is the month of the Holy Prophet ﷺ. And Ramadan is the month of the Ummah.” For this, Mawlana Shaykh Muhammadق reminds us to take heed of Rejab and draw closer to Allahﷻ for its Value is only with Allahﷻ. “Therefore”, Mawlanaق added, “Fī Rajab aral ‘ajā’ib,” “In the month of Rejab you see wonders; strange things may happen. You see Allah’sﷻ Power in the month of Rejab. Different states occur during this month. Its knowledge is in His ﷻ Presence. Allahﷻ is Giving in this month and Hisﷻ Generosity has no boundaries.” Those who do not seek Guidance in Tariqah, only look forward to the coming of Ramadan, without knowledge and notice of the two preceding Holy Months of Rejab and Sha’ban as the connectors, essential months of seeding and watering, to reap the full harvest of the Pardon of Allahﷻ in Holy Ramadan, and later, to indulge in the state of Fitr, natural state of returning to purity, on the 1st of Syawal. Purification is attained only through cleansing and in the month of Rejab, Allahﷻ Opens His Doors of Mercy and Forgiveness, for mankind to enter as sinners yearning be forgiven. “O son of Adam, if your sins were so numerous that they reached the heavens and then you sought My forgiveness I would forgive you and it is nothing to Me.” Hadith Qudsi Mureeds in this Way must take this grand opportunity to put in effort to receive the Gift of Forgiveness. If someone allows Rejab to enter and they have no concern for their wrongdoings then they do not truly possess taqwa. The believer sees his sins as a mountain towering over him that he fears will fall upon his head, whereas the hypocrite sees his sins as a fly that lands on his nose which he brushes away with his hand. Many people today live their lives as though there will be no accountability for their deeds. Busy collecting from this fleeting material world, the Ummah is in its worst state in this Second Age of Ignorance where all sins committed by nations before, are thriving and promoted insidiously everywhere. Hence, sincere seekers must take full benefits from these Three Holy Months, busying themselves with good deeds of fulfilling their duties to others, fasting, charity, Quran, Zikrullah and Salawat. The striving to gain nearness to Allahﷻ is in hope, of His Divine Mercy, Forgiveness, Safety and Protection in this life and especially for the hereafter. Oh what priceless gifts for the one truly seeking! Wise ones use this dunya as a means to gain closeness to Allahﷻ, beseeching in Himﷻ to clean and purify them until they reach to fulfil all their duties to Himﷻ, His Beloved Prophetﷺ and all of Hisﷻ creation. Therefore, put in great effort to be forgiven and ask for the forgiveness of the entire Ummah, in this holy month of Rejab, the month of Allah Almighty’s Forgiveness and seclusion, drawing near to Himﷻ. May we be raised as the people of Tawbah, gaining closeness to Allahﷻ by sincerely repenting for all our sins, and may we be granted long lives and good health to reach Sha'ban and Ramadan.